Graduate School in Canada: A Pathway to Permanent Residence

As one of many changes to Canada’s international student program, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced a new policy for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). Under this policy, international students who graduate from a graduate program at a Canadian designated learning institution (DLI) can now receive a three-year PGWP across the board. This change also applies to students in master’s programs shorter than two years.

*Before February 15, for programs of two years or less, the PGWP was only issued for the length of the program.

The value of the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) lies in the fact that international students can work in Canada after completing their program. This Canadian work experience is extremely valuable for anyone aiming for permanent residence (PR), because many of Canada’s PR application categories require work experience within Canada.

For example, Express Entry, the system that manages applications for Canadian permanent residence, evaluates applicants’ Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores, and Canadian work experience earns at least 80* additional CRS points. (*These points differ in other situations, such as when you apply together with a spouse or common-law partner.)

Therefore, the February 2024 expansion of the PGWP policy also benefits international students who complete graduate programs shorter than two years. The change allows them to gain Canadian work experience for longer and use that experience in their PR applications. It can be seen as a favourable amendment that helps international students build careers in Canada and eventually obtain permanent residence.

Steps to Applying for Permanent Residence (Example)

1. Earn a degree from a public graduate school.
2. After graduating, work on a three-year post-graduation work permit.
3. While working, meet the application requirements and raise your CRS score.
4. If your CRS score is high enough and you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA), apply for permanent residence.

There are several other ways in which graduate students have an advantage in obtaining permanent residence.

Education Points in the Express Entry CRS

In the Express Entry CRS, higher levels of education receive higher scores. Specifically, the following CRS scores are awarded under “level of education” in the Express Entry system:

Level of education	CRS score
Master’s degree	126 points with a spouse/common-law partner, 135 points without
PhD	140 points with a spouse/common-law partner, 150 points without

• British Columbia: International Post-Graduate Category
• Ontario: Ontario Masters Graduate Stream
• Ontario: Ontario Ph.D. Graduate Stream
• Manitoba: Graduate Internship Pathway

For more details, see our PNP page.

From the explanation so far, you can probably see the benefits of graduate study for a PR application, but that is not all. Here we would also like to list the benefits of studying at a Canadian graduate school from the perspective of immigration consultants.

An Advantage in Your Job Search

A major benefit of graduating from graduate school is that it makes it easier to find jobs that require a high skill level. This also helps your PR application, since what is sought are “skilled workers,” that is, technical, professional or managerial positions. Many graduate-school graduates are likely to work in these positions. In addition, statistics show that graduate-school graduates tend to earn higher average annual incomes than college graduates, although the specific figures vary by occupation.

Open Work Permits for Spouses

Spouses of graduate students can obtain a Spousal Open Work Permit under certain conditions. Importantly, the program the international student is enrolled in must be 16 months or longer. In other words, spouses of students enrolled in programs shorter than 16 months cannot obtain an open work permit.

By using this option, the spouse can pursue permanent residence independently of the student, based on work experience gained on the open work permit. This allows each partner to apply for permanent residence through a different route, increasing the chances of obtaining PR if you are aiming for family immigration to Canada.

By making use of these options, you can get the most out of the big step of studying abroad as a family and build a more stable immigration plan for the future.

Advantages When Job Hunting After Returning to Japan

Even if, for some reason, you return to Japan rather than settling permanently in Canada, having “graduated from a graduate school in Canada” can be an asset when you look for work after returning.

Graduate school is harder to get into than college, but it offers a great many benefits afterward. This reflects nothing other than the fact that “the Canadian government is looking for new immigrants with higher levels of education.” Become the kind of talent Canada wants, and aim for Canadian permanent residence! This is the key point for anyone aiming for PR in Canada from now on.